Bread: Two rolls and two white crostini were served to the 3 of us with a square container of cold butter. I only tried the roll, which wasn’t warm and difficult to pull apart; a sign this wasn’t the freshest bread. It would have been ok to dip in a soup perhaps.
Menu: Just a Fling (offering apps from Shrimp Tacos, to Mussel Bisque, to Chicken Tamales), Not Fully Committed (consisting of 4 sandwiches), Getting Fresh (salads), Getting Serious (entrees of pastas, fish, chicken, meat etc), and Sides. There was plenty to choose from! They offer ½ portions of pasta dishes which I’m usually a sucker for, but there were too many other enticing options.
Food/Presentation:
Roasted Local Beets & Burrata Salad: fig & caramelized shallot vinaigrette
Red and golden beets were topped with greens and served with a burrata crostini. I’ve had better buratta, but that was inItalyso I don’t think I can really compare (Burrata is an Italian cheese made from mozzarella and cream; it has a creamier, softer consistency than mozzarella). No actual complaints about this dish as the beets were plentiful and the greens were refreshing. Side note: I split this salad with Jess and they were kind enough to actually serve us our own 1/2 portions so we didn’t have to eat off the same plate. Major plus!
inside Burrata (courtesy of Wikipedia)
Pig Under A Brick: braised collard greens, mostarda & sweet potato puree
Sweet potato puree was topped with a pile of greens followed by the pork shoulder and the mostarda (a condiment made of a mustard flavored syrup and candied fruit – cherries here). The pork was easy to tear apart (no knife needed) and would have made a great pulled pork sandwich. The top unfortunately was too hard and crispy that I had trouble cutting/eating it. The greens were simple and paired well with the tasty puree which introduced a slight hint of cinnamon. And what a pretty, constructed presentation!
Bathroom: The bathroom was clean but a little bare. The only character was the wooden shelf and wicker basket holding the paper towels.
Service: The service was prompt and our server was quite helpful. I knew this was an annoying request, but I asked if the Shrimp Tacos were able to be done with Chicken instead. He hesitated and I told him it wasn’t a big deal but he said he’d check with the chef. They were in fact able to make that major substitution; too bad I didn’t end up ordering them, whoops! I also really appreciate when restaurants provide each guest with their own portion/plate when splitting items.
Overall: I really enjoyed the menu options and laid back and modern atmosphere. They were sold out of the Slow Braised Lamb (served with spring parsnip ravioli & toasted pistachio crumble) which was disappointing. But there’s enough reasons to go back to Tryst so perhaps they’ll have more in stock on my next visit. The pricing is moderate, comparable to a popular city spot with apps $12 and under, $9 salads, and Entrees ranging from $17-$25.
The Perfect Bite: The pulled pork shoulder with some sweet potato puree.
For more photos & descriptions of what everyone in my party ate, visit my Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/ThePerfectBiteBoston
The Perfect Bite, Boston 